Automatic igniter.



D. HBYMAN. AUTOMATIC IGNITER.

APILIOATION FILED MAY 27, 1911.

Patented June 4, 1912.

I Inventor: :SOMOL- ww v a Atty V 45 open position;

' DAVID HEYMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

nmromrrc manna.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1912.

Application filed Kay 27, 1911. Serial No. 629,865.

able combustible substance a apted to sustain a flame.

One object of my invention is to'provlde means whereby the sparking medium may be inserted in and removed from the igniter ina simpler manner than heretofore. A further object of the invention is the provision of improved means for operating the toothed wheel which is usually employed to actfrictionally upon the pyrophoric substance for the purpose of spark generation. Another object of the invention is to improve and simplify the means for, and the method of, operation of the spark producing mechanism. Still further -objects of theinvention are to generally simplify and improve the structure of such automatic igniterswherc by they may be cheaply produced and satisfactorily operated for a very considerable length of time without requiring any repairs or attention, other than the replenishment of the fluid used as fuel and the renewal of the sparkingmedium.

The invention conslsts of the novel struc:

tural features and combinations of. parts hereinafter claimed, and fully described in "the following specification, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 1s a central vertical sectional view of my im roved automatic lighter in now taken on the linev 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking toward the left of the latter; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the friction wheel and appurtenantparts, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a detail side ele'vational'view of a suitable member, such as a spring, employed for operating the friction wheel.

In constructing my improved igniter, I 5 preferablyemploy two distinct casings, the

ig." 2 is a vertical sectionalouter casing'lO, to which the lid or cover 11 1s plvotally held by the stud 12, being adapted to mclose the inner casing 13 WhlCh supgorts the operating parts .of the mechanism.

y th1s arrangement I provide a structure whlch enables the inner casing to be removed bodily. from the outer casing for the renewal of sparkin plugs and the replenlshment of fuel, an the outer casing serves to protect the mechanism of the igniter against damage and also prevents any leakage of l1qu1d fuel into the pockets of the. user.

The inner casing 13 is provided with a chamber 14 adapted to receive fuel through an opening 15 at the bottom thereof, normally closed by a leather sheet 16. The

chamber 14 is usually filled with an absorb:

cut-material such as cotton, to take up the liquid fuel with which the chamber is .75

charged. Formed in the upper wall 13 of, the casing 13 1s a plug 17 adapted to retain a tube 18 through which the wick 19 passes,

the lower part of the wick terminating in the absorbent material in the chamber 14;"80 and the upper part thereof projecting beyond the end of the tube 1-8 and being in the path of the sparks produced by the means,

and in the manner, hereinafter described.

In igniters of this class the sparking medium usually consists of 'pyrophorous spark blocks which are held in position to be frictionally engaged by suitable means for the purpose of producing sparks. One of the principal features of my invention relates to, 91) the means for presenting these spark? blocks tothe friction member, and to this end there is arranged in the casing 13 and preferably passing diagonally throu 'h the chamber 14.

a tube 20 the lower end 0 which terminates 95 in a pair of oppositely disposed upwardly curving ears or lugs 21, the upper part of the tube extending into close proximity tothe friction memberhereinafter described. Designedto be arran ed within the tube 20 is a coiled spring 22 avinga normal tendone to distend, one end of thespring, pref era ly the lower-end," embracing a rod or bar 23. provided with laterally projecting be a constant tendency to force the pin 25 eral arms 24 rest in the lugs 21, there will against the block 26 and urge the latter into contact with the friction member.

The member adapted for frictional enagement with the spark blocks 26 is shown in detail in Fig, 3, and preferably consists of a toothed or milled wheel 27 having one of its lateral faces provided'with a plurality of undercut cam grooves 28, the milled surface of the wheel being designed to operate frictionally against the spark block 26.

The wheel 27 is revoluble about a stud 29' fixed in a pair of oppositely disposed lugs 30 projecting upwardly from the wall 13, of the casing 13. Mounted upon the stud 29 is a yoke 31, the lateral arms 31 of tion 33 having an orifice 33 through which the stud 29 extends. ,The wheel-rotatmgmember is formed with a shank 33 which is inserted into the loop 32 and by which means said member is retained in position. Projecting outwardly from the body portion 31 is a spur or arm 33 which, when the Wheel-rotating-member is in proper position projects into the path of the teeth formed by undercutting the side of the" milled wheel 27, and saidspur is adapted to quickly rotate the wheel when the cover of the igniter is opened.

At a point in the rear of the arms 31 the yoke 31 is formed with a reduced slot 34 in which are adapted to engage laterally projecting arms formed atone end of a clip 36, the other end of the clip havinga hole 37 in which the loop-38 of a retractile coiled spring 39 engages. The other end of the spring 39 is wound about an anchoring stud 40 having lateral arms 41 which abut against the lower edge of a tube like casing 42 formed in rear of, and preferably integrally with, the casing 13. From the foregoing description it will be noted that the spring 39 constantly tends to pull the yoke and appurtenant parts rearwardly. I i

Attached to one of the walls of the easing 13, as by soldering or in any other suitable manner, is a fiat spring 43 which, when the casing 13 is inserted into the casing 10,

tends to press tightly against the latter and hold the casings in relative, assembled position. There is also provided upon the yoke 31 a tube 44 which is designed to rest over and closed. I The inside of the lid 11 is formed with ,9.

protect the wick when the lid is notch 45 to receive a catch 46 formed atone end of the spring 47 secured to the casing 10 ,and under control of the operatingbutton 48 reciprocable in the casing wall 10.

7 Following is a description of the operation of the invent-ion:-Assuming the parts to be assembledas shown in Fig. land the lid 11 to be closed; when it is desired to produce a flame the button 48 is pressed upon thusreleasing the restraint upon the I spring 39 which has thus far been extended. As soon as the lid 11 is released ,by' pressure upon the butt'0n-48 the spring 39 contracts drawing the yoke 31 rearwardly and the spur 33 of'the wheel-rotating-member en- .be rendered inoperative the lid 11 is closed down and in this action the spur 33 willsimply glide over the teeth of the undercut grooves in the milled wheel 27 without rotatin the latter so that no spark is produce If new spark blocks are to be inserted,,

the arms 24 ofv the stud are simply lifted out of engagement with the" lu 21 and the spring 22 and pin 25 taken out of the tube 20, a new spark block 26 put in position and the parts reinserted in the tube, the arms 24 caused to reengage the lugs 21 and thedvice is again in condition for action.

Should it be desired to-have access to any of the other parts of the mechanism the inside casing 13 and the parts carried thereby may be removed from the outside casing I 10, and-if desired the spring 39 released.

from its upper and lower anchorages, and in a very simple manner the parts may be renewed, replaced .or repaired asidesired. Havingt I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an automatic i iter,"the combination with a casing and means for releasably locking the lid to the casing, a friction -member within the casing having no connection with the lid and held in inoperative condition when the lid is closed, and means independent of the lid and having a normal tendency to operate said friction member and open said lid when the locking means is released.

2. In, an automatic igniter, the combination with a casingand a lid pivoted thereto, of means for releasably locking the lid to the casing, a. friction member revoluble within the casing having no connection with the lid and held ill/inoperative condition us described my invention, what when the lid is closed, and means independent of the lid and having a normal tendency to revolve s'ai'd friction member and open said lidwhen the locking means is released.

3. In an automatic igniter, the combination with'an inner casing, of a friction member rotatably supported thereby,'means for pressing a sparking body into contact with said friction member, an outer casing adapted to hold said friction member inoperative, and a retractile spring independent of said outer casing and tending normally to op},

crate said friction member.

4. In an automatic igniter, the combination with an inner casing having supports for a friction member, of a friction member rotatable in said supports, means for press ing a sparkingbody into contact with the friction member, an outer casing having a lid which, when closed, retains the friction member against rotation, and a retractile. spring independent of said lid and adapted, when the lid is opened, to operate said friction member for the production of sparks.

5. In an automatic igniter, the combination with an inner casing having' projecting lugs, of a stud supported-in said lugs, a friction member rotatable on said stud, an outer casing having a lid which, when closed, retains the friction.member againstrotation, and a spring independent of said lid and having one end anchored to said casing and adapted to rotate said friction member when the lid is opened.

6., In an automatic igniter, the combination .with an. inner casingcarrying a stud,

of a friction wheelrotatable about said stud,

a yoke rotatable about said stud, a retractile 40 spring directly connected to said yoke for rotating said yoke in one direction, and

operative to rotate the friction Wheel when the yoke is rotated bythe retractile spring.

7. In an automatic igniter, the combination with afcasing carrying a friction member of means for pressing a sparking body into contact with said member, a yoke asso-, ciated with said friction member, means carried by the yoke for operating the friction member, a retract-ile. spring having one end... removably attached to said yoke and its opposite end removably anchored to the casing wall.

-8. In an automatic igniter, the combination with a casing carrying a friction memher, of means for pressing a sparking body into contact with said member, a yoke associated with said friction member, means carried by the yoke for operating said friction member, said yoke having a reduced slot therein, a retractile spring acting on said friction member, a clip at one end of said spring having a hook engaging in said slot, and lateral arms at the other end of said spring adapted to engage vthe casing Wall.

9. In an automatic igniter.-the combina-' tion with a friction wheel having grooves cut in one face thereof, of a yoke having'an arm at each side of the friction wheel, a loop formed up in the arm adjacent the grooved face of the wheel, and an operating member for the friction wheel comprising a shank port-ion inserted in the loop and a projecting spur adapted to engage the 'groovesin the friction wheel.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID HE YMAN.

means carried by said yoke and becoming CLARISSA FRANCK. 

